(Image: Supplied)
A new play and live music show will mark the 90th anniversary of the Jarrow Crusade, one of the North East’s most famous protests.
Jarrow Marches: A Play & Songs will be staged at The Alberta Social Club in Jarrow on Saturday, October 10, at 11am and 2pm.
South Tyneside poet, playwright and songwriter Tom Kelly wrote the show, which actor and creative Andrew Dawson directs, to bring the Jarrow Crusade to today’s audiences.
Leftm Mitchell Wilson, Eleanor Chaganis, Andrew Dawson, Steven Stobbs, Micky Cochrane andJessica Brady (Image: Supplied)
Mr Kelly said: "These were ordinary men.
"They believed something should be done about Jarrow.
"The Jarrow Crusade is a story that belongs to the people of Jarrow.
"It is about work, community, dignity and people standing together when they felt they had no other choice.
"Having a family connection to one of the marchers, John Kelly, makes the story especially meaningful to me.
Left. Jessica Brady, Andrew Dawson, Eleanor Chaganis, Mitchell Wilson, Micky Cochrane andSteven Stobbs. (Image: Supplied)
"Bringing those stories back into the Alberta, in the heart of Jarrow, feels particularly special."
Mr Kelly is related to John Kelly, one of 200 unemployed men who marched from Jarrow to London in 1936 demanding jobs and a better future for their town.
Jarrow Marches: A Play & Songs uses drama, humour and music to show why the marchers’ story still matters 90 years on.
The show draws on research by Mr Kelly and Mr Dawson, including 1973 interviews with people linked to Jarrow and the Crusade.
The play opens with a family gathering at The Alberta Social Club to reflect on the Jarrow Crusade’s lasting impact.
Andrew Dawson, the director, said: "The Jarrow Crusade is such an important part of the history of this town, but at its heart it is a story about ordinary people.
"Through the research Tom undertook in the 1970s, we have been able to connect with voices and memories that bring the story much closer to home.
"Tom’s own family connection to one of the marchers, John Kelly, makes that connection particularly powerful.
"We wanted to make something that feels rooted in Jarrow, that celebrates the people who marched, and that allows audiences to think about what their story means 90 years later."
The five-strong North East cast features Jessica Brady, Eleanor Chaganis, Micky Cochrane, Steven Stobbs and Mitchell Wilson, with live music from Ian Sankey.
The production is part of The Customs House’s work celebrating local stories, talent and communities. It is supported by Arts Council England’s Place Partnership with South Tyneside Cultural Partnership.
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Kelly Anders, chief executive of The Customs House, said: "The Jarrow Crusade is part of the story of South Tyneside, and it is incredibly important that 90 years on we continue to tell it in ways that feel relevant to the people and communities of the area today.
"The Customs House is proud to support work that gives a platform to local stories, and we are delighted to celebrate 90 years since this historic moment in the lives of the men of Jarrow and their families."
Tickets are available from the Customs House website or the box office on 0191 4541234.